One-piece garment



Sept. 5, 1967 H. E. LARSON ONE-PIECE GARMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 23, 1965 Sept, 5, 6 H. LARSON 3,339,209

ONE-PIECE GARMENT- Filed Feb. 23, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,339,209 ONE-PIECE GARMENT Hester E. Larson, 35 S. Bothwell, Palatine, II]. 60067 Filed Feb. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 434,433 4 Claims. (Cl. 2-74) My invention relates in general to an article of clothing and more particularly to a garment eminently suited for use by disabled women.

Both in private homes and in institutions that care for numbers of disabled persons, one of the existing problems is dress. Whether the disability is caused by accident, illness or disease (mental or physical) or some other defect, many patients are unable to dress themselves in usual clothing. Some are bed-ridden or confined to wheel chairs. The difficulties encountered by others in putting supporting garments, slips and dresses on these individuals are great. Nevertheless, many of these women Wish to be clothed in other than a gown for reasons of pride and others need to be dressed for morale-building purposes, etc.

I have devised a fully open, one-piece garment that eliminates the need for a brassiere, slip or undershirt, yet gives support and covering to the chest portion of the individual and provides an attractive appearing dress. My dress can be put on the individual when she is in areclining or sitting position as well as when she is standing. It is done without pulling anything on, or off, or over the individuals arms or head. A further advantage of my invention is in the fact that the skirt of the dress is open in back. This eliminates the necessity for the patient to sit on her outer garment and avoids soiling, particularly among incontinent individuals. It also greatly facilitates in helping the disabled person at the toilet.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view showing the general configuration of the garment when laid out fiat;

FIGURE 2 is a back view showing the garment partially in position on a figure, with particular emphasis on the upper back closure;

FIGURE 3 is a front view, partially broken away, showing the garment in the same state of positioning as in FIGURE 2, but with particular emphasis on the chest support and front closure and showing formation of the novel armhole feature. of the dress; and

FIGURE 4 is a back view of the dress properly positioned on a figure and showing the skirt closure.

Although the following disclosure ofiered for public dissemination is detailed to ensure adequacy and aid understanding, this is not intended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how others may later disguise it by variations in form or additions or further improvements. The claims at the end hereof are intended as the chief aid toward this purpose; as it is these that meet the requirement of pointing out the parts, improvements or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

The dress, generally 10, consists of an over front bodice portion 11, under front bodice portions 12 adapted to be fitted together as for example by snap closing members 13, back portions 15 adapted to be fitted together longitudinally as for example by snap closing members 16, skirt 18 and skirt waistband portions 19 adapted to be fitted together as for example by snap closing members 202 The upper edges of over front bodice portion 11 and back bodice portions 15 are contiguous and form neckline 25 which has a generally circular configuration. The lower part of over front bodice portion 11 widens out in both sidewardly directions to form the skirt waistband 3,339,209 Patented Sept. 5, 1967 portions 19. This wider dimension is sufliciently great to allow meeting of the two edges of portions 19 around an individual at generally center back line 31. The side edges of over front portion 11, back portions 15, under front portions 12 and skirt waistband portions 19 are contiguous and form armhole portion 26. In its preferred form my dress also includes under skirt portions 28.

In putting garment 10 on an individual, that portion of neckline 25 which is integral with over front portion 11 is placed under the chin of the individual and back bodice portions 15 are placed over the shoulders and allowed to hang down the back of the individual. Back bodice portions 15 are then fitted together along the center back line 27 by closing snap fasteners 16 (see particularly FIGURE 2). Other closure means, such as buttons and buttonholes, hooks and eyes, zippers, etc., are feasible for use here but ease of handling and adjustability makes the snap closing most desirable particularly for hospital and institution use.

As shown in FIGURE 3, under front bodice portions 12 are then wrapped around the chest of the individual and fitted together along center front line 30 by closing snap fasteners 13. Under front bodice portions 12 extend generally from the waist-line upward over the beast area but not thereabove. It is important to note that in all of these operations it has not been necessary to pull anything over the head or arms of the patient. When under front bodice portions 12 are in place, they provide support for the breast areas. Ski-rt waistband potions 19 are now wrapped from the front to the back of the individual and fitted together along waistband center back line 31 by closing snap fasteners 20. This wrap-around step completes formation of the armhole of the dress as well as forming the skirt.

It will be noted in the drawings that a plurality of spaced longitudinal rows of snap fasteners are shown for fitting together portions 12 and 19. This feature allows for adjustment to the size of the individual and eliminates custom making to a patients measurements. Two or three generalized garment sizes, e.g. small, medium and large, can be produced and, with the adjustment feature mentioned, the garment can be fitted very well to any individual.

As seen in FIGURE 4, while skirt portion 18 is open below the waistband fastening, there is an overlapping area which gives the appearance of a seamed skirt. Thus, the skirt portion 18 has Vertical side edges 18a which are in juxtaposition in back when the skirt is hanging straight. Furthermore, under skirt portions 28 hang generally below the waistline of the individual and have a sli-plike function. Portions 28 can be of varying length but would not generally extend below the upper thigh area of the individual.

Various decorative items can be added to the dress to enhance its appearance, e.g. the braid trim 35 shown in the drawings around the neckline and armhole edges. Both skirt portion 18 and under skirt portions 28 are preferably gathered, or shirred, to aid in producing a relatively loose-fitting garment with a pleasing appearance.

Obviously, many modifications and variations can be made without departing from my inventive concept. For example, the adjustable closing at center front line 30 and waistband center back line 31 can be eliminated if a more custom made product is desired. Or, the closing of the back portions 15 at center back line 27 can be made adjustable by adding further spaced rows of closure means.

I claim:

1. An article of clothing for an individual, which a-rticle comprises: an over front bodice portion having two back bodice portions longitudinally closable at about the center back line and contiguous at the top thereof with said over front bodice portion, two under bodice portions longitudinally closable at about the center front line and contiguous under the arms with said back bodice portions respectively contiguous at the bottom thereof, two waistband portions longitudinally closable at about the center back waistline and contiguous with the bottom of the over front bodice portion, and a skirt portion contiguous at the bottom of the waistband portions and having vertical side edges which are in juxtaposition in back of the individual when the skirt is worn thus permitting the skirt to be open in back merely by separating those side edges.

2. A one-piece dress for an individual having under front bodice portions extending generally from just above the breast area to the waistline and underneath the arms and longitudinally closable along the generally center front line; said under front bodice portions having back bodice portions contiguous therewith along the underarm edges, said back bodice portions extending generally from the waistline to the shoulders of the individual and longitudinally closable along the generally center back line; said back bodice portions having contiguous therewith, at the tops thereof, an over front bodice portion extending generally from the shoulders to the waistline; said over front bodice portion being sufiiciently wider in dimension at the lower side edges thereof to form skirt waistband portions longitudinally closable along the generally center back waistline; and the lower edges of said over front bodice portion and said waistband portions having a skirt contiguous therewith, said skirt having vertical side edges which are in juxtaposition in back of the individual when the skirt is worn thus permitting the skirt to be open in back merely by separating those side edges.

3. A one-piece dress for an individual having under front bodice portions extending generally from just above the breast area to the waistline and underneath the arms and longitudinally closable along the generally center front line; said under front bodice portions having back bodice portions contiguous therewith along the underarm edges, said back bodice portions extending generally from the waistline to the shoulders of the individual and longitudinally closable along the generally center back line; said back bodice portions having contiguous therewith, at the tops thereof, an over front bodice portion extending generally from the shoulders to the waistline, the top edges of said back bodice portions and said over front portions defining a neckline; said over front bodice portion being sufficicntly wider in dimension at the lower side edges thereof to form skirt waistband portions longitudinally closable along the generally center back waistline, the upper edges of said waistline portions together with the shoulder edges of top bodice portion and back bodice portions forming an armhole; and the lower edges of said over front bodice portion and said waistband portions having a skirt contiguous therewith, said skirt having vertical side edges which are in juxtaposition in back of the individual when the skirt is worn thus permitting the skirt to be open in back merely by separating those side edges.

4. A one-piece dress for an individual having under front bodice portions extending generally from just above the breast area to the waistline and underneath the arms and longitudinally closable along the generally center front line; said under front bodice portions having back bodice portions contiguous therewith along the underarm edges, said back bodice portions extending generally from the waistline to the shoulders of the individual and longitudinally closable along the generally center back line; said under front bodice portions and said back bodioe portions having contiguous therewith, at the bottom edges thereof, under skirt portions extending downward from the waistline to a point not lower than the upper thigh area of the individual; said back bodice portions having contiguous therewith, at the tops thereof, an over front bodice portion extending generally from the shoulders to the waistline, the top edges of said back bodice portions and said over front portions defining a neckline; said over front bodice portion being sufiiciently wider in dimension at the lower side edges thereof to form skirt waistband portions, the upper edges of said waistline portions together with the shoulder edges of the top bodice portion and back bodice portions forming an armhole, said waistband portions being closable along the generally center back waistline; and the lower edges of said over front bodice portion and said waistband portions having a skirt contiguous therewith, said skirt having vertical side edges which are in juxtaposition in back of the individual when the skirt is worn thus permitting the skirt to be open in back merely by separating those side edges.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/ 1920 France.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

H. H. HUNTER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ARTICLE OF CLOTHING FOR AN INDIVIDUAL, WHICH ARTICLE COMPRISES: AN OVER FRONT BODICE PORTION HAVING TWO BACK BODICE PORTIONS LONGITUDINALLY CLOSABLE AT ABOUT THE CENTER BACK LINE AND CONTIGUOUS AT THE TOP THEREOF WITH SAID OVER FRONT BODICE PORTION, TWO UNDER BODICE PORTIONS LONGITUDINALLY CLOSABLE AT ABOUT THE CENTER FRONT LINE AND CONTIGUOUS UNDER THE ARMS WITH SAID BACK BODICE PORTIONS RESPECTIVELY CONTIGUOUS AT THE BOTTOM THEREOF, TWO WAISTBAND PORTIONS LONGITUDINALLY CLOSABLE AT ABOUT THE CENTER 